Wizz App Warning: Catfishing and Safeguarding Concerns

Last Updated on 18th August 2025

Reading Time: 4.4 mins

Published: August 19, 2025

Recently, Wizz has been in the headlines after several reports of the app being used by adults, posing as teenagers, to catfish young girls.

While the app brands itself as a safe space for ‘making new friends’, the risks it poses, especially to children and young people, are serious.

Wizz has surged in popularity with young people, but its design closely mirrors popular adult dating apps, featuring profile swiping, location-based filters, and live chat with strangers.

With rising concerns about catfishing and potential exposure to harmful content, we have analysed the platform to uncover key safeguarding risks, and what you can do to help protect the young people in your care.

What is the Wizz App?

Wizz is a free social networking app that lets users swipe through profiles and start conversations with strangers from around the world. Although it is marketed as a place to ‘make friends’, its swiping design closely resembles dating apps like Tinder.

Key Features of Wizz

Users are grouped by age category.
To reply to messages, users must accept message requests.
Wizz contains multiple chat options, including a group chat function for friends and voice chat.
Friends can be selected based on their location, age, gender, and interests (e.g., sports or gaming).
While the app is free, in-app purchases, subscriptions and a virtual currency system (‘coins’) are heavily are strongly promoted.

The Risks of Wizz

Age Verification

Wizz uses Yoti’s facial scanning software to verify age, which is more effective than several other social media apps. It works by using a device’s camera to scan for features that indicate a user’s age. However, it is not foolproof. It has been reported that this process is easy to bypass and therefore, users can still access chats with those outside of their intended age range.

Pressure to Overshare and Invasive Features

Wizz frequently prompts users to add more content (e.g., photos, personal details) to their profile. This may cause young people to share more than they’re comfortable with, increasing the risk of a young person experiencing exploitation, grooming or harassment.

Ineffective Blocking and Reporting

There have been reports that users of Wizz have received messages from users they have previously blocked. This raises concerns about whether the platform’s safety features are functioning as they claim. Wizz use AI to help with moderation of inappropriate content and behaviour. You can also report inappropriate content or behaviour to a member of the team directly to review but they provide no information on how to use this safety feature.

Location Filters and Contact with Strangers

As users can filter others by age, gender and location, individuals (potentially including adults with harmful intentions) can seek out specific ‘types’ of people. This makes it easier for predators to find and target vulnerable users.

In-App Spending and Gifts

Wizz promotes the use of ‘coins’ for unlocking features or sending digital gifts. Children and young people may feel compelled to spend money – theirs or their parents’ – to enhance their experience. Wizz also use third-party advertising (however, they dispute this) which could lead young users to a ‘pay to play’ type of app.

Why Do Young People Use Wizz?

With loneliness among children and young people at a record high (25% of 15-18-year-olds reported feeling ‘very’ lonely or ‘fairly’ lonely in 2023), it is no surprise that many are turning to the online world, and platforms like Wizz for connection. But what might start as an innocent search for friendship can quickly spiral into risky or unsafe interactions.

Top Tips

Try the App

Before allowing a child or young person to use the app, download it and try it for yourself. This will help you better understand the experience of young users and decide whether it is appropriate for the child or young person in your care.

Have Open Conversations about Friendships and Loneliness

Begin a conversation about friendship, loneliness and whether the child or young person in your care feels they have support and people to connect with. Making sure a young person feels supported and connected may lessen the likelihood of them turning to strangers online for advice and support.

Do Not Introduce Apps Unnecessarily

Don’t introduce friend-finding or social media apps unless they bring it up first. They may not have heard about them before, and you may encourage their curiosity to download them.

Utilise Parental Controls and Safety Features Effectively

Use resources like Our Safety Centre to guide the child or young person in your care through platform-specific safety tools.

As Wizz gains more media attention following catfishing incidents, now is the time to act.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, or safeguarding lead, educating, and empowering young people is the best first step to help them stay safer online.